In the laboratory, IP6 ± Inositol have been shown to have consistent and reproducible anti-cancer action against a wide range of cancer models (eg. breast, colon, leukemia, liver, lung, lymphoma, prostate, sarcoma etc) making it a broad-spectrum anti-cancer agent. This anti-cancer action is both preventive and therapeutic, and the combination of IP6 + Inositol in correct proportion (US Patent # 5,082,833) yields the best results. Emerging clinical data confirm the laboratory findings.

Shown are two mice #11 and #12 harboring human liver cancer. The mouse on the upper panel shows complete regression of the tumor 1 week after IP6 treatment (40 mg/kg/day; right frame), whereas within the same period, the tumor in its sibling on the lower panel has grown 2-3 fold in size (right frame)

Clinical Studies:

Several clinical studiesof the efficacy of IP6+Inositol were presented at the 7th International Conference of Anticancer Research in Corfu, Greece, October 25-30, 2004. These included cancers of the colon, lungs and breast. Patients were treated with IP6+Inositol (8-24 gm/day) either with or without concurrent standard chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. It was reported that IP6+Inositol reduced the chemo- and radiotherapy induced side-effects and acted synergistically to yield a much better response to treatment; at the very least, the patients enjoyed a better quality of life (Anticancer Research Volume 24 No. 5D, September – October 2004; pages 3474-3475 and 3617-3618). The CT scan below of a 63 year old patient with stage IV colon cancer metastatic to liver (left) shows a reduction in tumor size in about 4 months.

Unlike most other anti-cancer agents, IP6 and Inositol are not cytotoxic, i.e they themselves do not kill cancer cells at the pharmacological dose; at high doses they induce apoptosis (programmed cell death). IP6 and Inositol rather tame the cancer cells to behave and look like normal cells(differentiation).While the cancer cells grow uncontrolled, the differentiated cells do not. Increased differentiation by IP6 was seen in all the cancer cell lines tested viz those from cancer of the breast, colon cancer, prostate cancer, leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma (childhood cancer of muscle tissue) and liver cancer cell lines. Secretion or expression of various tumor markers from these cancers decrease as a result of treatment with IP6; eg PSA (prostate specific antigen) for prostate cancer, alpha feto-protein (AFP) for liver cancer etc. Thus, the efficacy of IP6+Inositol treatment may be monitored by the levels of tumor markers.

Another manner by which IP6+Inositol combat cancer is by boosting the immune system. While IP6+Inositol themselves do not directly kill the cancer cells, there is a subset of T-lymphocytes called natural killer (NK) cells who do just that. And their ability to kill cancer cells is increased by IP6+Inositol (CARCINOGENESIS Volume 10: pages 1461-1463 & 1595-1598, 1989; US Patent #5,082,833). A more recent paper by Zhang et al confirms the ability of IP6 to boost NK cell activity. In a March 2010 paper in ONCOLOGY REPORT (volume 23: pages 787-793), Dr. L Schroterova' and colleagues from the Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic confirm that the combination of IP6+Inositol is the best for inhibiting cancer cell growth. They tested both IP6 and Inositol (Ins) individually and in combination on various human cancer cell lines (HT-29, SW-480 and SW-620) derived from colorectal carcinoma in different stages of malignancy. The effect of IP6, Inositol or IP6+Inositol on the cells was measured using metabolic activity assay, DNA synthesis assay, protein synthesis assay and apoptosis " with clear indication of Ins enhancing the proapoptotic effect of IP6 in all the [cancer] cell lines studied."the authors conclude. Please view the recent report of a clinical trial of inositol in lung cancer patients on NBC Nightly News of 7 April 2010 "New Test ID's smokers prone to lung cancer." In view of the fact (please see above) that the combination of IP6+ Inositol provide the best result, this study is nevertheless an encouraging first step.